MISCELLANEOUS SLATE TESTS.
At a public test or séance given by a medium I saw the following
clever trick performed: A slate, clean on both sides, to all
appearances, and, of course, devoid of writing, was given to a
spectator to hold above his head. The medium then loaded a pistol,
putting in, instead of a bullet, a piece of chalk, which he rammed
well in. He then took careful aim at the slate, fired away, and the
slate was covered with writing from the chalk that was placed in
the pistol. The medium, beforehand, allows any one in the audience
to choose from a plate containing different colored chalks the
colors they desire. The chalk is all right, and is actually placed
in the pistol and crushed to a powder by the ramrod. The slate has
been written on one side with glycerine. This side of the slate is
supposed to be cleaned, so as to keep clear of the glycerine, in
order that the invisible writing may not be disturbed. It is this
prepared side that faces the medium when he fires the pistol. The
powdered chalk adheres to the glycerine, and thus we make clear
another slate miracle.
A clever trick employed to deceive me on one occasion was as
follows: I was handed a slate and a damp sponge, with a request to
cleanse the slate. I did so, and handed it back to the medium, who
held it in plain view in one hand. In a short time the slate was
given back to me with writing on it that could not be produced by
any of the methods I was already acquainted with. I witnessed this
test a second time, and it was only by accident that I discovered
it, and all through the breaking of a string, to which the device
employed was attached. The apparatus was a strip of narrow wood,
nearly the length of the slate. Glued on it were raised letters of
cork (felt would do also). These letters were in reverse, and were
well rubbed with soft chalk. This strip of wood was attached to
a cord running up the left sleeve, across the back, and down the
right arm-hole, and thence under the vest and the end fastened to
a button. The length of the string allowed the wood to hang behind
the slate when held in the left hand. To keep the wood up in the
sleeve until wanted, there was a loop on the string far enough
up to suit the purpose. This loop was slipped over the button,
where it could be easily detached with the right hand. The sponge
was soaked in water containing alum, which makes the chalk adhere
better to the slate. When the slate was handed to the medium, he
held it downward in his left hand, and allowed the strip of wood
to slip down behind it, when it was pressed firmly against the
surface of the slate, and then pulled up into the sleeve again out
of sight. This same idea has been utilized in using a blotter, the
same as is used for ink, to dry the slate with. The blotter has the
writing done on it with chalk, thus doing away with the strip of
wood.
Take a slate and cover it with writing on one side. Cover this
writing with a piece of slate-colored silk, held in the corners
lightly with wax. At one end of this silk have a few minute hooks.
The slate is now cleaned on both sides, and, placing the slate on
the floor, the piece of silk is allowed to attach itself by means
of the hooks to the medium’s pants, or dress, as the case may be,
thus leaving the slate devoid of trickery. It is hardly necessary
to remark that the slate is placed on the floor written-side
downward.
[Illustration: Fig. 16.--The Caustic Trick Pencil.]
A friend of mine told me of a medium he once went to see, who gave
him a most remarkable test. He brought his own slate, and, as he
afterward said, there could have been no trick about it. The medium
took the slate for a moment, and with a pencil covered the slate
with writing on both sides, just to see, so he said, if it would
be good enough for the test. He then cleaned off the slate on both
sides and gave it back to my friend, requesting him to hold it
close against his breast, and then in a short time remove it, and,
when he did so, he was thunderstruck to find writing on it on the
side nearest to him. This struck me as being a most astounding
proof of spirit writing. I had a meeting with the medium, who gave
me the same test. It seemed strange to me that he should want my
slate to write on and wash it off again, for the same reason as he
gave my friend, and that was to see “if it was good enough for the
spirits to work with.” I received a message on the slate, after
it was washed, and saw that there was none on there after it was
cleaned and handed to me. I went home puzzled, and experimented to
no avail. I had another sitting with the medium, but he did not
give me the same test; so I returned home again and tried to fathom
the mystery, and was eventually successful. The trick was mainly
in the pencil. It was pointed at both ends. (Fig. 16.) One end
was a genuine slate pencil, the other end was a silver nitrate, or
caustic pencil. In writing on the slate he wrote the lines quite
a little distance apart with the slate pencil; in between these
lines he wrote with the caustic pencil, the writing of which was
invisible. The sponge the slate was cleaned with, was dipped in
salt water. That part of the slate containing the writing done with
the silver nitrate was just lightly tapped with the sponge, the
rest of the slate was thoroughly cleaned. The salt water, when the
slate becomes dry, brings out the silver nitrate white like a slate
pencil mark. I consider this trick as ingenious and clever a one as
it has been my good fortune to witness, and one that caused me much
mental effort to solve.
[Illustration: Fig. 17.--Writing with the Toes.]
Here is another test. A slate just cleaned and marked is placed
under the table on the floor. The medium and the skeptic grasp each
other’s hands across the table. In a few seconds the slate is taken
up from the floor and is found with writing on it. The solution of
this, like all the rest of the slate phenomena, rests in simplicity
and boldness. The medium wears slippers or low-cut shoes, that he
can slip his foot out of easily. His stocking on his right foot is
cut away so as to leave the toes bare. Now, attached to his great
toe is a bit of pencil, and with this the writing is done. (Fig.
17.) Sometimes the test is varied. Five or six pieces of chalk of
different colors are on the table, and the investigator is allowed
to select one, place it on the slate. In this case the chalk is
held between the great and adjoining toe, and the writing is thus
produced. It is surprising to see, with a little practice, what
you can educate the foot to do. I myself can easily pick a pin off
the floor and write quite well. Sometimes, by way of variation,
instead of the medium or investigator lifting the slate from the
floor, it is seen to mysteriously make its appearance above the
edge of the table, being lifted there by means of the toes of
the medium’s foot. Another method used is that of scratching the
writing on the slate with any metal instrument and then wash the
slate on both sides, being careful not to show the scratched side
until it is wet from the washing. In this condition a casual glance
will reveal nothing, but as soon as the slate becomes dry the
writing or scratching appears. Writing has also been made to appear
on a slate on the table while the medium and investigator sit with
both hands clasped across the table. The medium accomplished this
by the simple means of a pencil concealed in his mouth. At the
proper moment he holds it between his teeth, leans his head over
and writes on the slate. Of course this is all done in the dark,
and the writing is not very good, but it answers the purpose, and
that is all that is necessary.
Here is still another test. A person writes a question on the slate
and places it, written side down, on the table. All this when the
medium is not looking. The medium takes his seat at the table,
places one hand on the slate (so does the skeptic, the other hand
on the medium’s forehead). With the disengaged hand the medium
now proceeds to write on the upper surface of the slate. When he
has finished, the communication is read, and it is found to be a
correct answer to the question on the opposite side of the slate.
To perform this seeming impossibility the medium has to employ a
table containing a trap smaller than the frame of the slate. When
the slate is placed on the table, the medium shifts it over this
trap. The trap is then opened, and by means of mirrors, 3, 4,
5, placed at angles of 45 degrees in the body of the table, the
writing is reflected to the very place where the medium is sitting,
and the image is reversed to normal by the third mirror, and it is
easy then to give an answer to it. (Fig. 18.)
[Illustration: Fig. 18.--Reading the Questions by Means of Mirrors.]
The following is how writing can be made to appear on a slate on
which a person has placed his initials in one corner of it, which
is then placed with that side downward on the table, and shortly
afterward, on turning it over, it is found completely covered with
writing, and the signature of the visitor proves there has been no
exchange of the slate. The secret of obtaining this effect is both
a unique and quite original method.
[Illustration: Fig. 19.--The Interrupted Flap.]
The writing is already on the slate and is hidden from view by the
false flap, which has a corner missing from it. This missing corner
is where the clever idea comes in. After the medium cleans both
sides of the slate, he says: “I will just draw a chalk mark down
in this corner of the slate wherein the gentleman is to place his
signature.” He really draws the chalk mark on the slate proper,
but close to the edge of the missing corner of the flap, thus
disguising the joint, and after the flap is dropped out of the
slate of course this mark and signature still remains. (Fig. 19.)
Here is still another. The medium cleans a slate on both sides and
hands it to a skeptic to place his mark on it. It is then placed
on the table, face downward, and in a short time, on being turned
over, it is found with a spirit message on it. This is performed as
follows: Let the message be written on the slate and then sponged
out with alcohol, and when the slate dries, the writing will be as
plain as ever.
Here is another slate writing secret. Dissolve in hydrochloric acid
some small pieces of pure zinc, about one-half ounce to an ounce
of acid. With this solution write upon the slate with a quill or
a small camel’s hair brush the desired communication. When dry
it closely resembles writing done with a slate pencil. When the
time arrives for the test, wash the slate, and it appears to be
perfectly clean; allow any one to examine it and hold it until it
becomes dry, but with the prepared side down. On the slate being
turned over it is found to be covered with writing while in the
spectator’s hand.
Here is still another idea. The medium has a number of slates in
his arms, say four. He hands the investigator the top one to clean.
When he has done so, the medium receives it back and places it
at the bottom of the pile of slates and hands him another again
from the top to be cleaned, and repeats this operation until all
four slates have been cleaned. He now takes two of the slates,
places them together, and, on removing them again, writing is
found on one of them. Here is the method of procedure: Prepare
your communication on one of the slates, and let it be the bottom
of the pile, with the writing side down. Have your visitor seated,
stand by his side just a trifle behind him, hand him the top
slate to clean; after he has done so, hand him the second one and
receive the first one back, placing it at the bottom of all the
slates, and repeat until the third slate. While this one is being
cleaned, slip the fourth, now the top slate, to the bottom again.
When the third slate is received, place it on the bottom and hand
the fourth, really the first one over again; it is, of course, the
top one and dry by this time, and the investigator is none the
wiser. Of course, the two slates placed together afterward are the
one prepared with writing and one of the blank ones. Instead of
slipping the top slate to the bottom, sometimes another dodge is
used. The medium simply turns the three slates over by a twist of
the hand. This brings the prepared slate at the bottom and the last
slate cleaned at the top, and he says he will clean this one, thus
saving time; really, however, to disguise the fact that it is still
wet from the last cleaning. He says, however, to the visitor, “You
can clean it also, if you desire.”